Combat Focus Feats from PH2

[UndeadDan]

One of my players for our upcoming PFRPG Rise of the Runelords campaign has expressed interest in the Combat Focus feat tree from Players Handbook 2. Has anyone had any experience with these feats? To my untrained eyes they seem fairly innocuous but I have been known to misunderestimate game-breaking powers in the past.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

[Jal Dorak]

They are pretty reasonable feats. Most characters can only afford a few, while fighters can become very balanced by taking them all.

Generally they allow warriors to cover up their major weaknesses, and specialization allows them to perform well in other areas such as Combat Maneuvers. I would definitely reduce the CMB bonuses on these feats to be more in line with the new PRPG rules.

Their greatest use is for a monk - I would strongly consider allowing a monk to select these feats as Monk bonus feats.

[anthony Valente]

They are great feats. The only ambiguous one I've seen so far is Combat Vigor which gives fast healing 2 or 4. The ambiguity arises when you try to determine when it ends. As written, if you start a battle when you don't have your full hit points, it's possible to actually end the battle with more hit points than when you started.

This may not be a problem for some groups, but it strikes the groups I play with as odd, and we have adjusted the feat accordingly.

[Matthew Morris]

I like the combat feats, but then I like the 'zen fighter' approach as well. Mongoose's complete psychic warrior had something similar, and IIRC the Mantra Feats from Dreamscarred's Untapped potential did as well.

[DigitalMage]

anthony Valente wrote:

The only ambiguous one I've seen so far is Combat Vigor which gives fast healing 2 or 4. The ambiguity arises when you try to determine when it ends. As written, if you start a battle when you don't have your full hit points, it's possible to actually end the battle with more hit points than when you started.

I am not seeing where the problem is. The Fast Healing ends when your Combat Focus does. Yes that does mean you could effectively regain hit points that were lost in a previous encounter - but assuming you buy into the idea of this feat meaning you get super increased recuperative powers then I can't see an issue.

[UndeadDan]

Thank you all for your input. I've informed the player that the Combat Focus tree is going to be allowed. Now all we have to do is figure out a rewrite to Combat Defense that won't result in +4 dodge bonus to AC for two feats.

Actually, now that I have written it that way, maybe I shouldn't be as concerned.

[fray]

Yeah, it's two feats... big cost for it.

I don't have my book... can you only get the Combat Focus once a day? or once an encounter?